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The late-January ground breaking ceremony for a new 40-storey mixed-use complex in Ho Chi Minh City has revealed some additional project details. The 165-metre Satra-Tax Plaza will feature a rooftop helipad while preserving the significant architectural elements of the Saigon Tax Trade Center currently occupying the site.
The office, hotel, and shopping complex is being built by the Saigon Commercial Corporation. Six below-ground storeys will house parking facilities and the building will feature integrated access to Saigon Metro's Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien line. The project is being constructed on the plot of land where the Saigon Tax Trade Center now stands.
The 92-year-old structure was the only remaining colonial-era department store in the city. Its multiple renovations have stripped away some of the original design features, but several ornate reminders of the past have survived. The stairway's wrought iron railings and decorative Moroccan mosaic floors continued to impress visitors until its closure in 2014.
Calls for the preservation of the structure seem to have swayed the developer, who is proposing to conserve some of its primary characteristics, including the grand staircase, floor mosaic, and much of the lobby. These interior elements would have to be carefully withdrawn from the site, restored, and reinstalled. The first three floors of the exterior facade will also be maintained, while the three floors above will be redone in keeping with the original design.
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